This study aims to examine how ESG strategies influence employees’ sustainable behavior through internal organizational processes. Drawing on social learning theory (SLT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study conceptualizes ESG strategy as a behavioral infrastructure that fosters green innovation behavior and green work climate (GWC), which subsequently promote sustainable behavior and employee eco-initiatives.
Data were obtained from 383 employees of several enterprises, with the empirical context being organizations located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.
This study indicates that ESG strategies motivate employees not by controlling their behavior or holding them accountable, but by normalizing green innovation and creating a GWC where sustainability becomes embedded in daily work practices, enabling employees to engage in sustainability-oriented actions.
Instead of studying “disclosure” at the firm level, this study adopts a micro focus on behavioral processes. Drawing from SLT and TPB, this study provides a theoretically rich elaboration for how ESG strategies shape sustainability-oriented employee behaviors within organizations. This is particularly relevant for emerging economies where ESG projects may be particularly at risk of becoming symbolic.
